Shattered Dreams
by The Diablo Squid
Summary: The land of Hyrule is thrown into anarchy as the necromancer Ganondorf and his Gerudo legions slay the king and invade Hyrule. Can a ragtag group of heroes defeat Ganondorf and save the land they love? Some ZxL romance later on. Discontinued
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone! I'm planning on updating maybe once or twice a week, depending on how long the chapter is, just to let you know. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading this. R and R!

Shattered Dreams

Chapter 1

"Your majesty," the Royal guard announced, executing a swift bow as he entered the throne room of King Harkanian. "Lord Dragmire has arrived." As soon as the words had escaped the guard's lips, a tall, dark man with flaming red hair walked through the open door and practically pushed the guard aside. Zelda looked in disgust at Ganondorf Dragmire, King of the desert dwelling Gerudos.

"My liege," Ganondorf said, giving King Harkanian a deep bow. "I have brought several gifts for you from the desert; fine silks, beautiful jewels, and exotic animals." King Harkanian smiled and stood up from his golden throne, embracing Ganondorf with a hug.

"Lord Dragmire, many weeks have passed since we last met!" Harkanian said, beaming at the Desert King. Ganondorf craftily returned the smile.

"My liege, your kingdom has grown even more beautiful than last I saw it. Your lands are lush and fertile, your towns bustling with trade. Under your rule, Hyrule has become a utopia," Ganondorf exclaimed. Zelda nearly choked on all of Ganondorf's flattery.

But no one else in the throne room, least of all the king, suspected anything. Chuckling, the King returned to his throne and gestured to Zelda. "Lord Dragmire, I believe you met my daughter on your last visit?"

Ganondorf's gaze very briefly flickered onto Zelda, his red eyes narrowed into slits. Zelda forced a smile onto her face, although she was sure Ganondorf knew it was a fake one.

"Yes," Ganondorf said slowly, "We have met briefly."

"Good, good!" Harkanian exclaimed, looking positively exhilarated. "Now Ganondorf, let us talk about the new trade plan you intend to propose between our two nations. Oh! But first, show me the animals you have brought. I believe the Gerudo refer to them as camels…"

Slowly King Harkanian and Ganondorf walked out of the throne room, and the guards and nobles in the room trailed away behind them. Soon, Zelda was the only one left.

Slowly getting up from her chair, she walked swiftly out of the red carpeted room, intending to go rest in the courtyard by reading a book. She couldn't believe how easily Ganondorf could manipulate her father…

It had all started five months ago. At first, she thought she was just having nightmares. But the dreams kept on returning; dark clouds billowing over Hyrule, towns burning, people fleeing from an unknown man. She knew it couldn't be a coincidence; the goddesses were trying to tell her something.

And then, HE came. Ganondorf Dragmire, _Lord of the Desert_, Zelda thought in disgust. He had arrived, bringing exotic foods and fine silks, presenting them to King Harkanian. Ganondorf was careful to flatter the King and anyone with power. Only Zelda had seen through him. But the rest were blinded by the fantastic golden statues and the strange new plants he brought from the desert to listen to her.

And slowly, he gained the King's trust. More and more, until Harkanian trusted Ganondorf more than his own court advisors! Zelda had told her father of her visions, and what she thought they meant. But he had not listened. Nobody had.

Entering her room, she grabbed a book at random from a shelf and proceeded down to the courtyard. As she left the cold stone insides of the castle and entered the dimly shaded green courtyard, she felt some of her anger and frustration melt away. She just needed to relax, that's all…

…

…

The crowd roared, cheering and yelling, as the two knights urged their horses forward. One knight had lush green heraldry, whilst the other's was blood red. Both knights lowered their lances almost simultaneously, as the distance between each other decreased. The yelling from the crowd was deafening, as both knights urged their war horses to go faster-

And with a loud crack, the Red knight was thrown from his horse as the Green knight's lance shattered upon his shield. As the Red knight picked himself up, leaving the field, the Green knight did a victory lap around the jousting arena, drawing a chorus of cheers.

King Harkanian and Ganondorf sat at the top of the arena, in a special row reserved for the nobility and upper class.

Harkanian pointed at the Green knight. "You see him? He is the son of one of my generals. He is young, but already a courageous lad, who is favored at winning the tournament."

Ganondorf nodded. He didn't particularly care about the knight or the jousting tournament, but he smiled in order to please the king. It was important to fool this oaf as long as he could…

"My liege, could we begin to discuss the trade plan between the Gerudo nation and Hyrule?" Ganondorf asked softly. Harkanian smiled broadly. He had already had many cups of wine.

"Why, Ganondorf! You are here for at least a week more! We will have plenty of time to discuss everything you want! Let's enjoy this time together; have a wine and watch the show!"

"No thank you," Ganondorf thought to himself, sitting back in his seat. How he longed to tell this stupid Hylian King his true designs and intentions, but that would have to wait. "And then," thought Ganondorf savagely, "I will have the great pleasure of killing this bumbling old fool."

Harkanian hiccupped as he ordered some more wine. "There is a large dance tonight," he said to Ganondorf, as the servant rushed off to fulfill the king's desires. "I would be pleased if you came to it." For a few moments, Ganondorf toyed with the idea of going to the King's ball, but he had better things to do than hobnob with the Hylian nobility.

"I am honored by your invitation, but I am afraid I must decline," Ganondorf said, carelessly flicking a speck of dust off of his black cape.

"Oh… of course…," Harkanian mumbled in a slightly slurred tone. In a minute, he had closed his eyes and was snoring rather loudly. Ganondorf smirked at the servant as he returned with a glass of Hyrule's finest wine, only to fine his King was asleep. Down in the arena, the Green knight unhorsed another man. Ganondorf was mildly impressed. It had been a long time since he himself had wielded a weapon; he might not be as sharp as he once was.

"But I'll get plenty of practice soon enough," thought Ganondorf wickedly as he glanced down at the slumbering form of King Harkanian.

…

…

"Zelda! Zelda, wake up! Please?"

Zelda mumbled a bit in her sleep as she felt someone poking and prodding her. Opening her eyes, she discovered that she had fallen asleep while reading her novel. Looking around, she found Impa looking rather crossly at her.

When Zelda was young, Impa had been her caretaker. Now that Zelda was twenty, however, Impa was more of a friend than a mother figure. Being confined to the castle walls, Zelda had few friends and people to interact with other than foreign diplomats. Impa was one of the few people whom actually truly cared about Zelda.

"What is it Impa?" Zelda said, stifling a yawn and brushing some dead tree leaves out of her golden hair. Impa smiled slightly but still looked rather stern.

"There's a ball tonight, that's what's going on! Come on, you need to get dressed quickly; it is in an hour!"

Zelda glanced up at the sky. It was nearing dusk; the sun was a lazy orange sphere in the violet sky. Zelda sat up and stretched.

"Impa, I hate going to these parties. Can't I just skip one?" Zelda moaned. Impa laughed softly.

"Come on you, let's go!" Impa pushed Zelda out of the courtyard and into the castle. Groaning slightly, Zelda went to her room to change. Closing her doors, she wandered through the mess of books that littered her room's floor. Classic novels, historical books, language dictionaries, she had it all. Moving to her dresser, she opened it and looked for a suitable dress for the ball. It was going to be a long night…

…

…

When Zelda finally decided to pull herself out of her room and enter the feast room, where all the parties, balls, and extravagant events took place, the orchestra was already playing and nobles, foreign diplomats and princes, and several members of King Harkanian's court were already milling around, chatting, dancing, and eating. As Zelda walked in, she saw Impa glaring at her from the refreshments table. Zelda smiled and kept on walking. The worst part was yet to come.

Immediately as she entered the dance floor, she was swamped by dozens of nobles and foreign officials, all wanting to dance with her, court her, talk to her. Zelda smiled and laughed and accepted several dance invitations, but only because it was her duty. She loathed having all of these suitors after her; since she was Harkanian's only child, naturally she was the key to his inheritance and throne.

After what seemed like years, but was only a matter of hours, she somehow managed to free herself from the tangled mass of suitors and hide behind a giant roast boar sitting on the refreshments table. She could hear her father talking loudly with several foreign princes, and wondered vaguely where Ganondorf was and what he was doing…

After several minutes, Zelda decided to try and escape the ball. Standing up from her chair, she eyed the exit. It was surrounded by nobles and foreign diplomats. Cursing, Zelda tried to think of another way out…

Her eyes fell upon a door that led to the courtyard. She could escape through it and make her way back to her room. Moving swiftly from her concealed position Zelda quickly proceeded toward the door. She was only a few feet from it…

"Milady?" A voice from behind her asked in a soft tone. Zelda clenched her eyes shut. So close…

Turning around, she found a young man who appeared no older than her. His dirty blonde hair was somewhat untidy, as if he didn't have time to comb it, and he was smiling nervously at her. He was wearing a fine green tunic made out of silk; probably a Hylian noble's son.

"May I have this dance with you?" He queried, as the Orchestra begun another tune. Their eyes locked for a brief second, and for some reason, Zelda found herself unwillingly extending her hand to him. Taking it softly, he smiled and put his hand around her waist as they danced.

It wasn't as bad as Zelda had thought it would be. In fact, she rather liked dancing with the young man, although she had no idea what his name was. After the song had ended, Zelda was slightly surprised that it had. The young man bowed to her, thanked her for the dance, kissed her hand, and began to walk away.

"Wait- what is your name?" Zelda asked the man. He slowly turned on the spot, still wearing that soft smile.

"My name? It is Link," he said, before turning around and vanishing into the crowd.

…

…

After navigating her way through the courtyard and finding her room, Zelda collapsed onto her bed. She was dead tired, and she wished desperately that she could fall asleep.

Yet, there was one thing that was nagging her.

"Link, eh?" Zelda muttered to herself, adjusting her pillow. "Odd name…" The pale moon outside slowly grew larger, and in an hour, the Princess of Hyrule was fast asleep.

I hope you liked my first chapter. If you didn't, please give some constructive critiscm on how I can be better improve my writing skills p I'll get the next chapter up in a day or two probably.

The Diablo Squid


	2. Chapter 2

Hey everybody! Here's Chapter 2, hope you like it. Just a note, the chapters will get longer eventually. The first few chapters are more of a prologue to the actual quest, so sorry if the first few chapters are a bit slow.

By the way, if you want a better summary of the story, check out my profile.

Thanks for the reviews!

Chapter 2

The darkened room was only dimly lit by a single flickering candle, the flames causing eerie shadows to dance on the walls. A lone man stood hunched over a glass sphere on the table, muttering arcane words and making gestures with his hands. At last, the swirling purple contents inside the sphere shimmered and were slowly replaced with the features of two old hags, both of them with green skin, filthy rags, and large, bulbous eyes. The only difference between them was the different colored jewels in their stringy hair; blue sapphires and red rubies. The women looked slightly annoyed at being summoned by the man.

The witch who was sporting several rubies in her filthy hair, Koume, looked irritably at Ganondorf while her sister continued her work in the background. "What is it now, Ganondorf? We are very busy, and won't interrupt our delicate work listening to you unless it is extremely important." The witch with sapphires in her hair, Kotake, flicked something carelessly and a loud explosion erupted from behind the two hags.

"Kotake, you fool!" Koume shrieked, diverting her attention from Ganondorf to her sister. "That took AGES to obtain, and you blew it up in a second!"

Kotake looked equally cross. "It's not my fault you're so incompetent that it took you so long to find something as common as a poe's spirit."

Koume pulled a long wand from her filthy robes and brandished it at Kotake. "It wasn't just any poe's spirit, it was the spirit of a BIG POE…"

Now Ganondorf was slightly annoyed. "Will you two be quiet and listen to me?" He said in a commanding tone. Both Koume and Kotake straightened up at once, looking fairly ashamed of their bickering.

"Now, both of you listen well!" Ganondorf ordered. "I have left you in charge of the Gerudo legions while I was away. I hope that they are mobilized and equipped for war?"

Koume nodded, while Kotake cleared her throat. "Lord Ganondorf, how can several hundred Gerudo storm Castle Town and Hyrule Castle? I mean, (Kotake quailed at the furious look on Ganondorf's face) what clever strategy have you devised for us to defeat the Hylian military?"

Ganondorf let out an odd noise, halfway between a snort and a laugh. "It is true that Hyrule is a large and populous country," Ganondorf stated, "But they have only a small standing army. In times of war, the Hylian army drafts the peasants into service. There are only a few hundred professional soldiers."

Koume now spoke up. "But Lord Ganondorf, surely the peasants…"

Ganondorf cut her off with an airy wave of her hand. "I intend to have the Hylian King and several of the Hylian generals killed before the attack will begin. It will throw the Hylian government into anarchy and confusion. By the time the attack is underway, Hylians, both soldiers and peasants, will be too scared and confused to put up any kind of resistance." Ganondorf looked at both of the hags sternly, as if daring them to argue.

"Yes… but…" Kotake squeaked in a small voice. "What if the Hylians mobilize their forces faster than we anticipated? This could turn into a disaster for us, and compromise our current relations with the Hylians…"

Ganondorf laughed. "Oh, there won't just be Gerudo forces attacking Castle Town… you can be sure of that." Ganondorf grinned sinisterly, and both Koume and Kotake exchanged a look with each other before deciding it was completely pointless to argue with the Desert King.

"As you wish," both of the witches said simultaneously. Ganondorf smiled.

"I will wait here in Hyrule Castleto further wear down their defenses. I trust that you have... suitably dealt with all of the Sages?" The witches once again exchanged a look at each other, before Kotake spoke up:

"Yes, Lord Dragmire. It has taken us many long weeks to locate all of the Temples, but we have imprisoned five of the Sages, and have prepared defenses for any... unwanted intruders."

Ganondorf raised an eyebrow. "Five of the Sages? What of the sixth?"

Koume cleared her throat. "The sixth sage is Rauru, who currently resides in the Temple of Light in the heart of Castle Town. We will wait for Hyrule castle to fall before imprisoning him, but he cannot stand against us without the other five sages."

"Excellent. You know when to begin the attack," Ganondorf said, and without waiting for confirmation, he severed the connection between him and the witches with a wave of his hand, until the glowing sphere was once again covered in swirling purple mist.

"It won't be long now," Ganondorf muttered excitedly, with a diabolical grin plastered on his face.

…

…

Bright sunlight splashed through her giant balcony door windows. Groaning, Zelda sat up in her bed and blinked several times to allow her eyes to adjust to the light. Rubbing her eyes, she reluctantly left her bed and began to prepare for the day; meetings with diplomats, entertaining her father's guests, and fighting off hordes of suitors.

As she combed her golden hair and found a suitable dress, her mind wandered again to last night. She didn't know why, but the man named Link seemed so familiar… had she seen him before somewhere? She raked her mind for some previous mention of him, but found none. She didn't know why it was so important that she discover who he was; she only knew she had to do it. Pushing the thought of the young man out of her mind, she opened her door and walked down several flights of stairs to the dining room.

The mood in the room was jovial. Her father was sitting at the far end, in a golden throne, laughing and eating eggs, talking to Ganondorf who, interestingly enough, seemed to be in a good mood today instead of his usual sullen self.

"Ah, Zelda my darling!" King Harkanian boomed, waving a fork in the air and smiling at his daughter. "Take a seat dear, have some breakfast!"

Zelda gracefully sat herself down on a seat next to her father and across from Ganondorf. She smiled politely at him; the Desert King merely grunted and turned back to her father. Zelda rolled her eyes; nice to see you too.

As Zelda helped herself to some toast and jam, she became aware that the dining table was less full than it normally was. Raising her eyes, she questioned her father as to where all the nobles and officials had gone. King Harkanian laughed loudly.

"To watch the tournament!" He practically bellowed, almost jumping up and down in his seat. Ganondorf scowled when Harkanian suggested they go watch it after breakfast. Zelda took another bite of toast and poured herself some juice. After ten minutes, she was done with her food, neatly piling the plates and silverware together to make it easier for the maids. As she got up however, her father called to her.

"Darling, why don't you come and watch the tournament with Ganondorf and I? It would do you good to get some fresh air; you are always cooped up in this castle negotiating trade agreements with other nations!"

Zelda sighed; she had no idea what the tournament was about, but she decided it would be rude to decline her father's offer. Turning around and smiling at her father, she sweetly said, "That would be lovely, father." Harkanian smiled and proceeded to finish his breakfast. Ganondorf, long done, was impatiently drumming his fingers on the table. Eventually, Harkanian took his last bite of toast and the trio proceeded over the castle drawbridge and into Castle Town, escorted by several Royal Guards.

As they neared the town, Zelda became aware of a large roaring, as if an ocean wave was coming down and crashing into the marketplace. When they came nearer, she realized it was the sound of hundreds of peasants cheering on two knights who were jousting, trying to knock each other out of their saddles.

Finding a comfortable seat in the Royal box, Zelda kept quiet and observed the knights try to outdo each other. Harkanian was talking loudly and excitedly; Zelda knew that her father had been a knight before he became the king. Ganondorf seemed to be bored and uninterested, but made weak attempts to smile and laugh at the king's jokes.

After an hour, as the last of the defeated knights left the field,Zelda became aware of a small man with gray hair standing in the center of the stadium.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" He yelled, as the crowd roared and booed. He ignored them and continued:

"This is the final match of the tournament! Whoeveris the victorhere will be the champion!" The crowd roared and cheered as two knights were carried proudly onto the field by their warhorses.

"Thank the goddesses that this is almost over," Zelda thought privately, while observing the two knights participating in the final match. A knight with green heraldry and a knight with a dragon design on his were brought out onto the field by their warhorses. As the knights lined up opposite each other and checked their lances and armor, the roaring of the crowd increased, like an unending wave of noise. A loud whistle sounded, and the two knights kicked their horses into a trot, then to a canter, than a full speed charge. They lowered their lances- which Zelda observed were dulled to prevent injury- and recklessly charged forth. The crowd's yells and screams increased as the two knights charged headlong at each other-

And with a loud noise like a thunderbolt from the heavens, both of the knight's lances were torn asunder, both of the men having hit his opponent's shield. However, whilst the Dragon knight was thrown rather unceremoniously from his warhorse, the Green knight was able to stay in his saddle, although he was swaying slightly from the other knight's botched hit.

As the crowd screamed and shouted at the champion, Zelda was aware of her father clapping and bellowing "Bravo, bravo!" Even Ganondorf looked somewhat more interested; although perhaps this was because the tournament was almost at an end.

The crowd parted as the Green Knight proceeded up the steps toward the King, still clutching his splintered lance. King Harkanian smiled as the knight bowed to him.

"Good knight, you have on the tournament and have proven your martial skills!" Harkanian said, staring intently at the knight. "Now sir, before I award you the prize of your choice, please remove your helmet so all present can see your face.

With only the slightest hesitation, the knight slowly reached up and lifted his helmet from his head. Placing it carefully on the floor and looking up at the king, Zelda almost let out a gasp of surprise as she saw the knight's face. The dirty blonde hair, the piercing blue eyes… it was Link!

Harkanian smiled at Link. "Sir Link of Kakariko, you have won the tournament and as such deserve a just reward. What prize would you wish to be bestowed upon you for such great valor?"

Again the knight hesitated, but only briefly. His gaze turned from the king to Zelda, who was staring intently at him with a small frown on her face. Link gave her the same smile he had given to her at the ball and said in a clear voice:

"All I desire is one kiss from your daughter."

…

…

The tournament had been a fairly interesting affair, thought a lone woman who was covered in rags as she left the field and ran down a darkened alleyway. But she had better, more important things to do today than watch some games.

Carefully hiding herself in the shadows, she looked up at the sky. It was almost noon, and she had plenty of time to get herself into position. Making sure that no one was looking, she quickly clambered up a tall oak tree and leapt onto the roof of a Hylian home. Getting down on all fours and crawling, she positioned herself in such a way the no one could spot her unless they were on the roofs as well. Quickly getting up, she jumped onto the roof of another home.

Spotting a large stone wall which separated castle town from the grounds of Hyrule Castle, she eyed the distance from the roof and the wall and decided she could make it. With a large leap, she jumped from the roof and barely managed to hold onto the wall's ledges with her fingertips. Cursing her clumsiness, she was somewhat relieved that no one had spotted her… yet. Summoning all of her strength, she pulled herself up and over the wall and jumped down onto the ground.

Quickly looking around, she spotted two Hylian guards in the distance chatting to one another. Moving stealthily like a cat, the woman moved into the shadows and skulked there until the guards had moved on. Making sure once again that everything was clear, she sprinted across a stretch of grass and dived into some bushes.

Peering out of her concealed position, she saw the gate that led to Hyrule Castle's bridge. Four guards were standing there at attention. Frowning, she surveyed the scene for any other means to infiltrate the area…

There! A small rock wall that was hidden from the guard's view was placed four feet to the left of the castle gate. Looking at the guards again, she decided they would not see her if she kept in the shadows and moved slowly…

After ten nerve-wracking minutes, she had reached the wall. Quickly clambering up it, she was elated to discover that there were no other guards observing the area. Jumping from her position, she landed quietly on the ground, and making sure that no body was observing her, slipped into the moat.

She was immediately immersed in cold, frigid water, but she ignored her own discomfort and allowed the current to take her around the castle until she reached a small grate which filtered the water. Hoisting herself up, she found a tree which was conveniently placed near a castle window.

Clambering up the tree, she found a comfortable position and wrapped the rags more tightly around her. All she had to do now was wait…

…

…

Zelda lay face down in her bed, wondering how in the world she had gotten herself into this mess. It had been embarrassing enough having to kiss Link in front of her father and Ganondorf, but in front of every single person in castle town?

She cursed Link and was deciding what to do to him if she ever met him again when there was a knock on the door. Without waiting for Zelda to answer, the lock clicked open and Impa stepped into her room.

"Hello, Zelda," Impa said, closing the door and sitting down on the side of Zelda's bed. Zelda looked up and was annoyed to see a smile twitching at the corners of Impa's mouth. Pretending not to have noticed her, Zelda buried her face in her pillow. Impa laughed.

"Don't be embarrassed, Zelda," Impa said soothingly, patting her on the shoulder. Zelda was even more annoyed when she heard a small giggle escape from Impa's lips. Furious, she sat up and glared at Impa. Trying to think of a good retort to throw at the elderly woman, Zelda was surprised when Impa's expression turned serious.

"Zelda," Impa began in a calm voice, "You are twenty years old and the Princess of Hyrule. It is not only expected of you, but required of you, to find a suitable husband in case the king is not available."

Zelda looked down at her bed sheets. "I know Impa, but no one wants me for who I am. Only for my status as Princess of Hyrule. If I was a peasant, no one would even spare me a second thought."

Impa smiled gently. "That's not true, Zelda," she said quietly, hugging her. "You're a beautiful and intelligent woman. You will find someone eventually."

Zelda smiled at Impa. "Thanks," she muttered, although she wasn't sure if she was thanking Impa for her support or for her friendship. Impa seemed to understand. She hugged Zelda and left. Feeling a tad bit more cheerful, Zelda picked herself off of her bed, found her Ocarina, and began to play a musical piece composed by the famous Sharp and Flat brothers.

Perhaps it wasn't so bad after all.

…

…

A wolf cried out as the pale moon rose over a forest of trees. The cry awoke the woman who was hiding in the tree. Smiling to herself, she eased her aching joints into a more comfortable position before starting the arduous task ahead.

After stretching a bit, she eyed the window that her tree was next to. This was the place where she had been instructed to go. Jumping down from the tree, she nimbly clambered up some loose rocks in the castle wall and reached the window. Holding onto the window ledge with her left hand, she smartly rapped the window with her right. It took a few seconds for the window to open. When it did, she gracefully jumped into the room and bowed low to the man in front of her.

"It is good to see you, Aveil," Ganondorf said smoothly, walking back to his desk and sitting down on a chair, eyeing the Gerudo assassin intently.

"My lord," Aveil said, letting the rags drop from her body. A slim Gerudo warrior dressed in dark clothing with two curved scimitars at her sides stood at full attention, awaiting Ganondorf's orders.

"Aveil," Ganondorf said, now in a commanding tone. "I am expected to meet with the Hylian King and several of his generals tonight." Throwing a crudely drawn map at Aveil, Ganondorf got up from his chair and began to pace around the room. Aveil quickly studied the map. It showed a clear path from this room to the dining room, where Ganondorf was to meet with the Hylian officials.

"After I have been in there for an hour, enter the room and slay all of the Hylian generals," Ganondorf said with a maniacal glint in his eye. "But leave the king to me. He is mine!" Aveil nodded curtly without speaking a word. Ganondorf smiled in approval.

"Good. I am going now. Remember: this is for the glory of the Gerudo people!" Ganondorf promptly turned and exited out of his room. Hiding herself in a dark corner of the room, Aveil began to meditate. She knew that she would not survive this mission, but she was determined to carry it out.

For the glory of the Gerudo people.

…

…

I hope you liked my second chapter! Please read and review! I'll get chapter 3 up soon!

Thanks!

Diablo Squid


	3. Chapter 3

Hey everyone! Thanks for all the comments, I appreciate them. This chapter is really where the main action starts. Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 3

Ganondorf waited outside the mahogany door, his hand resting softly on the brass knob. He could hear cheerful voices and laughter from inside. Smirking to himself, he adjusted his black cape slightly and made sure that his dagger was concealed before turning the knob and entering the room.

It was a large, lavishly decorated room, with a roaring fire crackling merrily in the fire place and with a large, round table in the middle of the room. At the table sat King Harkanian, and three richly decorated men, whom Ganondorf assumed were the Hylian generals. Generous portions of food were already piled at the table, and Harkanian was laughing merrily with the other men until he noticed Ganondorf standing near the door.

"Lord Dragmire!" Harkanian said happily, standing up from his chair and spreading his arms wide. Ganondorf smiled smoothly and walked forward from the shadows and into the light of the fire. The other men stood up from their chairs, ceasing their conversation to gain a glimpse of the Desert Lord who had won their liege's favor so quickly.

After acknowledging Harkanian and bowing to him, Ganondorf was introduced to the others. Lord Amaury was the castle's garrison commander, a dark haired man with extremely pale skin. The man next to Amaury was a giant bear of a man by the name of Henri, who led Hyrule's infantry divisions in times of war. Both of the men gave Ganondorf small smiles and shook his hand.

The last of the Hylian war leaders, a blonde haired man named Sir Adrian Hylia, led Hyrule's cavalry divisions. Only the elite of Hylian society, the nobles, could become a knight, and they spent long hours training their martial skills in the hopes that one day, they would be addressed as "Sir". As such, the Hylian knights were the best trained in Hyrule's army, and fierce opponents on the battlefield. Unlike Amaury and Henri, Adrian seemed to regard Ganondorf with slight suspicion, although he masked his facial expressions well. After the introductions were over with, the group of men sat down at the table and began their private feast.

As the minutes rolled by, Ganondorf became more and more impatient. He had almost no appetite; he was too excited for the momentous events to take place tonight. Looking out of the room's window, Ganondorf stared at the dark night sky, knowing that his Gerudo army was concealed and awaiting his orders to attack.

Wondering vaguely how much longer he would have to wait until Aveil appeared, Ganondorf's thoughts were interrupted as the door to the room banged open. Expecting to see his Gerudo assassin, Ganondorf was surprised to see that a sweating and bloodied man stood at the doorway, holding a sword.

"What is the meaning of this?" Harkanian said angrily, standing up to glare at the offending Hylian. The young man cast a nervous glance at Ganondorf, and then turned back to his king. Ganondorf noticed that the man wore the uniform of a Hylian scout, soldiers in the Hylian army who were responsible for hunting bandits and brigands in the wilderness.

"My Liege," The man said, breathing heavily. "Whilst my party and I were hunting bandits in an area near Hyrule Castle Town, we- we encountered a large group of Gerudo warriors, fully armed. Out of the twenty people with me, only I survived. They- the Gerudo are marching on Castle Town-

But before he could utter another word, a large blood stain blossomed out of his chest. He looked down, as if surprised, and uttered a cry of pain and horror as he saw two sword blades poking out of his chest. With a terrible cry, the swords were withdrawn from his body and he crumpled to the ground. Neatly twirling her swords in the air, Aveil kicked the dead corpse out of her way and casually glanced up at her audience.

Harkanian was lost for words. "Ganondorf… what… why…" Harkanian turned around to face Ganondorf, and then let out a cry of horror and pain as the Gerudo Lord jammed his dagger into Harkanian's gut. Ganondorf smiled wickedly at Harkanian as he twisted the dagger to create more pain. Harkanian let out a sound that was a mixture between a gasp of pain and a sob of terror. Looking in horror at Ganondorf, Harkanian managed to whisper in a small voice:

"Why?"

Withdrawing his dagger and then plunging it back into Harkanian's chest, Ganondorf made sure that the Hylian King was dead before turning back to the others. Amaury and Henri were staring at Ganondorf with shock and fear. However, Adrian had already drawn his sword. Raising it over his head, he let out a cry of fury as he attempted to cleave Ganondorf in half. Aveil quickly parried the blow intended for Ganondorf and pushed Adrian back. By now, Amaury and Henri had gained their senses and were drawing their weapons. Too late.

Aveil let out a terrible cry and dove at Amaury, who was fumbling with his sword sheath. Quickly bringing down her dual scimitars, Aveil cut through the Garrison Commander's silk clothing and tore the flesh underneath. Amaury let out a cry of pain as his right arm was torn away from his body. Aveil quickly plunged her weapons into his chest to make sure that the Hylian was dead. Pulling her scimitars out of the corpse, she barely had enough time to parry the combined blows from Henri and Adrian. Furiously twisting and turning she dodged most of the attacks and deflected any she couldn't.

Drawing herself into a defensive stance, she quickly observed her opponents. She could tell by Adrian's stance that he fought in a more finesse manner. However, the large Hylian named Henri looked and fought like a bear. This brute force technique could be devastating against lesser trained soldiers, but would not work against someone with her skills and experience.

Letting out a loud war cry, Henri launched himself at Aveil, his gigantic broadsword raised high over his head. Taking advantage of this, Aveil quickly rushed forward and jabbed her two scimitars at Henri's stomach. The Hylian, not anticipating such a quick reaction, barely had time to think, let alone move. Aveil's deadly swords cut into Henri's stomach and the Hylian let out a terrible groan of pain, dropping his sword. Withdrawing her blades, she quickly twirled around and decapitated the Hylian infantry commander.

"Two down, one to go," Aveil thought, as she scanned her last opponent. Adrian had a furious expression on his face, but he was, Aveil noted, controlling his rage. This last Hylian would be a tricky opponent.

Circling around the room, glaring at each other, Aveil and Adrian both had their swords drawn into an offensive stance. The tension was tremendous. It was broken suddenly by Adrian, who darted forth in a nimble fashion. Aveil jabbed her swords in front of her, but they hit air- the nimble Hylian had jumped to the side and was now bringing his sword down to cleave open her skull.

Rolling out of the way, Aveil was relieved to hear the sword hit the wooden floor instead of her. Quickly standing up, Aveil parried a flurry of blows, each time backing up a bit further. Suddenly, something solid hit her back. She had run into a wall. Distracted, Aveil barely managed to parry Adrian's next attacks, but she felt a wild stab of panic as his attacks increased in ferocity. Again and again, sweat beading her brow, she blocked his hits, until a well placed blow sent one of her scimitars to go flying out of her hand. Panicked, Aveil tried to jab at him, but it was the wrong move; he quickly sidestepped out of the way and sunk his sword into her exposed back.

Letting out a shrill cry, she slumped over. Withdrawing his weapon, Adrian looked in disgust at his defeated Gerudo adversary. Looking around the room for Ganondorf, Adrian was shocked and angry to find that he was the only one left in the room. The coward had fled!

Rushing out of the room, cursing and sobbing at the deaths of his king and comrades, he ran down a flight of stairs to raise the alarm.

…

…

Rushing down the main hall of the castle and toward the stables, Ganondorf knew he didn't have much longer. Aveil was distracting the Hylian leaders, but Ganondorf knew they would kill her. Once she was taken care of, the Hylians would know of his treachery and could make it very difficult for him to escape this accursed castle.

Running into the stable, he quickly jumped up onto his black war horse, Stormcloud. The horse whinnied and pawed the ground as Ganondorf drove his heels into its flanks. Stormcloud reared and took off, over the castle's bridge and into castle town.

Even though it was late at night, there were still a few people out in the darkened market. They gazed in awe as Ganondorf thundered past him, riding his horse furiously. As Ganondorf rode over the last drawbridge, he could hear bewildered guards shouting at him, but they did not yet know his crime, so he was not besieged with masses of arrows.

He had made it into Hyrule field. In the distance he could see a faint green glow, a signal from Koume and Kotake. Grinning savagely, he urged his horse on faster. The attack on Hyrule was about to begin.

…

…

Adrian was breathless as he raced down another flight of stairs, mulling over everything that had happened. The king was dead, two Hylian commanders killed, and a large Gerudo force approaching Castle Town. Adrian knew that not enough Hylian troops were mobilized for war. He had to do what was most important for his country, even if it cost him his life.

Running down a small corridor, Adrian ran into Impa, the Princess's caretaker. The Shiekan women looked surprised to see Adrian so breathless and covered in blood stains.

"Sir Adrian, what…?" Impa asked, looking at him in a confused manner. Adrian gasped for breath.

"Ganondorf… has betrayed us. King and others are dead… large army coming to attack Castle Town… must raise the alarm…" Adrian managed to gasp.

Impa's eyes widened with fear. "What?" She asked him, gripping his shoulders. "Get a hold of yourself man, what happened?"

Adrian shook his head and freed himself from Impa. "Get the Princess to safety… she's the last of the Royal family still alive. And… and tell my son that… I'm proud of him." Adrian took another gulp of breath and tore down the hall like a mad man.

Impa watched him go with a feeling of apprehension. Adrian had been a trusted member of the King's court for twenty years… he would not betray the king or lie about something this serious. Turning around, Impa ran up a flight of stairs and quickly found the room she was searching for. She opened the door; it was unlocked. Bursting into the room, she found Adrian's son, Sir Link Hylia, reading a book by candlelight.

"Sir Link," Impa simply said, standing at his door. Link quickly looked up at the stranger; he recognized her as Impa, Princess Zelda's caretaker.

"Impa? Why are you here?" He asked uncertainly, standing up and putting down his book.

"The King is dead. Ganondorf has betrayed us," Impa stated. "Your father is the only one of the Hylian generals left alive. He has gone to raise the alarm."

"Dear goddesses," Link murmured, looking shocked at all of the news. Grabbing his sword, he tried to race past Impa, but she held him in place.

"Your father is proud of you, but it is destiny that you shall not see each other again in this world. As a knight of Hyrule, your duty comes first." Impa said gently, holding the young man back.

Link gazed at Impa with his piercing blue eyes. Slowly, he calmed down and sheathed his sword.

"Zelda is the last surviving member of the Royal Family. You must take her to safety, wherever that may be," Impa said softly, letting go of him. "I must help in the defense of Castle Town. You must hurry and leave with Zelda before Ganondorf's army arrives."

Impa produced an ocarina and gave it to Link. "This is the Ocarina of Time, a Royal Family treasure. Zelda might not trust you after…the tournament," Impa said with a small smile, "But she will believe you if she sees the Ocarina."

Link examined the ocarina with a troubled look on his face. "Surely there are more experienced knights than I who could escort the Princess..."

Impa smiled gently. "I am not just any old woman, but a Shiekah, one of the last of my kind. I sense that your destiny will be intertwined with that of the Princess, and you must guard and protect her, lest Ganondorf captures her and all of our hopes are laid in ruin."

Stepping back, Impa threw something on the ground; there was a blinding flash of light and she was gone. For a second, Link stood there not knowing what to do, as his eyes adjusted from the light. Then, the weight of the situation hit him. _The King is dead. Ganondorf is invading Hyrule_. Slightly awed, but determined, Link quickly ran back into his room, putting on his plate mail armor and grabbing his shield. Taking a small bag of provisions and rupees he raced out of his room to search for the Princess.

…

…

Zelda glanced out of her window. It was a very dark night, and her candle was almost spent. She wouldn't be able to read much longer. With a sigh, she carefully marked the page she was on and closed her book. Getting up from her chair and stretching, there was a soft knock on her door. Thinking it was Impa, she got up and opened the door. Instead, there stood Link, looking slightly distracted.

"You!" Zelda said furiously, before he could open his mouth to speak. Trying to slam her door shut, Zelda was even more infuriated when he grasped her hand to prevent her closing the door. Zelda felt a stab of panic, wondering what he was trying to do.

"Let me go, you brute!" Zelda said angrily, fully expecting for him to just tighten his hold. However, Zelda was surprised when Link let go and bowed to her. "Milady," he said solemnly, "I have been sent by Impa. We must leave Hyrule Castle Town at once."

Zelda looked suspiciously at Link. He could be lying to her.

"What if I told you I don't trust you?" Zelda spat, wondering why she hadn't just slammed the door on him already. Link sighed and fumbled for something; he found it and produced an ocarina. Zelda let out a gasp and took it from Link's outstretched hand.

"The Ocarina of Time!" She exclaimed, examining it closely. "How did you get this?"

Link let out a groan. "Milady, please hurry. Impa gave that to me so that you would trust me. Ganondorf has betrayed us. Your…" Here, Link faltered. He couldn't find it in himself to tell Zelda that her father was dead. However, Zelda seemed to have read his mind. With a dazed and fearful look, she gazed from the ocarina to Link, as if closely scrutinizing him. Then she shook her head.

"Right," she muttered, fumbling with the Ocarina. "Give me five minutes and I'll be ready." Closing the door, Zelda instantly felt a wave of horror overwhelm her. Ganondorf had finally made his move. Her father was dead, and he was poised to strike at Castle Town. Fighting off a wave of tears, Zelda stumbled through her room. Finding a small bag, she found some food and rupees and crammed them in.

Wondering what else she should bring, her eyes fell on a longbow that was pinned to the wall. She remembered, long ago, that Impa had taught her to use the longbow as a means to defend herself. She hadn't practiced with it recently, but she had been a fairly good shot with it. Picking up the bow, she found a small quiver that held a few arrows in it.

Exchanging her dress for dark clothing and a green cloak complete with a hood, Zelda looked at herself. Not bad. If her clothing was a bit more ragged and dirty, she could have passed for a Hylian Ranger who had been out in the wilderness for weeks on end hunting evil creatures.

Picking up her items, she let out a sigh. _Father is dead. He can't come back._ Zelda felt tears trailing down her cheeks. Wiping them with her hands, she slowly picked up the Ocarina of Time and put it in her traveling bag. Ever since she had those dreams, she knew and dreaded that this moment would come. But now that it was here, everything seemed surreal to her. _Father is dead. _Shaking her head sadly, she opened the door, finding Link with his sword drawn and looking tense. She knew he could see the tears in her eyes, but he said nothing about it. Softlysqueezing her hand and giving her a reasuring smile, he led the way down the corridor with her trailing him.

…

…

"Lord Ganondorf!" Koume cackled happily. "Glad to see you made it out of Hyrule Castle in one piece." Ganondorf ignored her and leapt off of his horse. Legions of Gerudo soldiers stood at attention, not speaking or moving. Koume trailed behind Ganondorf, constantly jabbering away.

"On our way here, we encountered a small village. We took many people alive, as per your instructions." Here, Koume gave Ganondorf an odd look. "Lord Dragmire, what do you intend to do with them anyways?" Ganondorf gave her a chilling smile.

"You shall see, my dear Koume, you shall see," He said imperiously, striding past the ranks of warriors to find Kotake.

Behind a small hill, Kotake was overseeing that the prisoners were held in place. Gerudo warriors had tied them to stakes tightly so they couldn't move. A little girl began to cry.

"Quiet, you little brat!" Kotake hissed, slapping the girl, only making her cry harder. Kotake groaned and prepared to slap her again when a hand held her back.

Turning around, Kotake found Ganondorf smiling evilly at her, with a fearful looking Koume hiding behind him. Looking approvingly at all of the captive Hylians, Ganondorf smiled.

"You have done well, my witches. Once you have killed them all, come and find me. Leave their bodies."

"Kill- kill them?" Kotake squawked, unable to control her curiosity. "Lord, if I recall, you wanted LIVE prisoners…" Ganondorf shushed her with an angry glare and walked off. Koume shrugged at her sister and summoned more Gerudo warriors to help with the task. An odd chill of pleasure ran down Ganondorf's spine as he heard multiple screams break the silent night.

…

…

As Link and Zelda found their horses in the stables, they could see many more guards rushing around the area, looking harried and afraid. Evidently, news of Ganondorf's treachery was just made public. Link mounted his faithful warhorse, Epona, and made sure his travel bags were securely strapped to her flanks. He had no idea where he and the Princess would go to hide from Ganondorf, but they had to leave quickly before Castle Town came under attack. Zelda had already found her horse and was waiting for Link to lead the way.

As the two Hylians rode through castle town, masses of nervous and frightened civilians were even more bewildered to see a Hylian knight and ranger leaving the town on horseback. Link felt a wave of sadness overwhelm him. He knew that most of these people would not survive Ganondorf's attack on Castle Town. Soldiers were already among the citizens of Castle Town, arming them with makeshift weapons and armor for the coming storm.

Riding through the outer gates and into Hyrule field, Link and Zelda stopped their horses and stared in horror at the masses of small torch lights flickering in the distance.

Ganondorf's army was marching to war.

…

…

Sir Adrian Hylia, now the general in charge of Castle Town's defense, watched from the outer walls as his son and the Princess rode out of Castle Town and traveled southeast, whilst Ganondorf's army approached from the west. Adrian wished he could have had a more time to spend with his son, but as cruel as it sounded, his position as general meant that his duty to Hyrule came before anything else.

"Sir!" A Hylian guard stepped up to Adrian, smartly saluting before beginning his briefing. "Some of our scouts have reported that Ganondorf's Gerudo army numbers only in the hundreds."

"Only in the hundreds?" Adrian mused quietly, wondering how insane Ganondorf was to try and take Castle Town with that few troops. "And how many soldiers do we have?"

"About the same number sir, but we are arming the peasants with anything we have from the Castle armories. We have archers in positions on the walls and in towers, and even if they breach the outer walls, we can always retreat to Hyrule Castle."

Adrian nodded slowly. He felt his hopes rising slightly as he realized they might have a chance to win. Dismissing the soldier, Adrian walked further along the battlements, observing the approaching enemy force. They were getting close to Castle Town now, almost within the range of the Hylian archers. Just a little closer…

…

…

Ganondorf sneered to himself as he observed the pitiful Hylian defenders manning the walls. He could see that many archers were on the battlements, and he knew that his Gerudo forces would take heavy casualties. But it didn't matter; he had a trick that the Hylians had no idea of.

After observing his army march relentlessly toward Castle Town for a few more minutes, Koume appeared, flying on her broom.

"Lord Ganondorf, all of the captured Hylian civilians have been slain," Koume said uncertainly, not sure what Ganondorf planned to do with the bodies.

"Excellent," Ganondorf said, grinning evilly. Koume trailed behind him, and Ganondorf knew she was afraid. Neither Koume nor Kotake knew the full extent of his powers.

As Ganondorf crested the top of a hill, a horrific site greeted his eyes; the ground was soaked in blood and the bodies of many Hylians littered the floor. Ganondorf walked down into the slaughter zone, his feetsinking slightlyinto the groundas he walked through the blood soaked field.

"Koume, Kotake, you may leave here or stay, depending on how curious you are to find out what I will do with these bodies," Ganondorf said, his eyes glowing a deep red. Koume and Kotake looked nervously at each other, and then Koume suddenly took off on her broom, heading away toward the advancing Gerudo warriors. Kotake, however, stayed where she was, her curiosity overcoming any fear she had. Laughing, Ganondorf began chanting arcane words and dark spells that had been invented by the most evil of wizards…

After the ritual had gone on for ten minutes, Ganondorf was still chanting, but his voice was deeper, his eyes glowing. An eerie white mist crept through the area, and there was unnatural darkness that blanketed the place. Kotake felt a chill run down her spine; she knew Ganondorf was a powerful mage, but this… was something new.

Ganondorf's chanting suddenly grew louder, and his voice rose erratically. He let out a high pitched yell and raised his hands to the sky, and lightning flashed down from the heavens. Suddenly, Kotake realized that the bodies of the dead Hylians were _moving_…

"What are your orders, my liege?" rasped a dry voice from somewhere within the unnatural darkness. Ganondorf grinned evilly, and Kotake suddenly wished that she had not stayed to watch…

…

…

"Archers, fire!" yelled Adrian, pointing his sword at the enemy down below. The whistle of arrows filled the air as the Hylian archers loosed their arrows with deadly accuracy; many Gerudo warriors stumbled and fell, but they kept advancing under the withering hail of archer fire. After two more volleys, the Gerudo were noticeably thinned, but were at the walls. Instead of trying to bash open the gate, they were using ladders to climb up onto the battlements.

Drawing his sword, Adrian yelled to his troops. "Prepare for hand to hand combat!" His troops hastened to obey, dropping their bows and taking out swords. Adrian knew that in close combat, a Gerudo warrior was superior to a Hylian one, but the Gerudo had half their numbers left. As the first of the Gerudo clambered up onto the wall, screams filled the air as both Hylian and Gerudo threw themselves into the battle with reckless abandon.

Skewering a Gerudo warrior with his blade, Adrian ducked underneath another's blow and then stabbed her. Blood stained his armor, but he kept it up, parrying enemy attacks and commanding his men to hold the battlements at all costs.

As Adrian killed another Gerudo, he was filled with anger as he saw Ganondorf kill several Hylians with one sweep ofhis sword. "So the coward has decided to show himself," thought Adrian. Letting out a war cry, Adrian charged at Ganondorf, sword drawn. Ganondorf looked fairly surprised that Adrian was here, but he easily parried the attack and swung his crimson blade at Adrian. Blocking it with his shield, the Hylian commander was stunned at how strong Ganondorf's attack was. Dodging another attack, Adrian swung wildly at Ganondorf; he missed and the Desert Lord laughed cruelly as he smashed Adrian's sword with his own magical blade.

Adrian drew his dagger, prepared to fight to the death. "Even if I die, your soldiers will be overwhelmed. You can't win, Ganondorf," Adrian said, as the Desert King advanced upon him.

Ganondorf sneered, and suddenly, the screaming increased ten fold. Looking around, Adrian felt a wave of fear attack him as he saw that his soldiers were fighting not just Gerudo, butanother enemy… more terrible than any living being…

Hundreds of undead skeletons were assaulting the walls with unreal ferocity. The Hylian troops, fearful of their supernatural enemy, broke and fled before the onslaught. Desperate to rally his troops and hold the battlements, Adrian yelled at the top of his voice:

"Rally! To me, Hylians! Do not fear your enemy!-

But then Adrian felt a stab of pain as Ganondorf's blade chopped through his armor and into his back. Adrian felt as if he was falling, falling into a hole that would never end…

"You foolish Hylian," Ganondorf whispered into Adrian's ear. "I am not an insane warlord, like you make me out to be. I am the greatest necromancer to walk this world since the days of Agahnim the Terrible!" Twisting his blade into Adrian's body, Ganondorf was pleased to hear a pain choked cry from his opponent.

"And rule of Hyrule will be mine."

…

…

Hours later, the bloody battle for Hyrule Castle Town was over. The sudden arrival of Ganondorf's undead troops, the Stalfos, caused disarray among the ranks of the Hylians as they fled from their new enemy. As for the Gerudo who died, well, their bodies were reusable…

Sitting on the golden throne of the late King Harkanian, Ganondorf was surprised that he had achieved victory so easily. The Sages had all been dealt with and were imprisoned in the six Hylian Temples. Kakariko Village and the Zoras and Gorons would quickly be defeated and subdued. The only factor that threatened his rule was the fact that Princess Zelda had somehow escaped the onslaught.

As Ganondorf mused over these thoughts, a group of black robed Gerudo entered his throne room. There were five total; five deadly warriors, willing to do anything for their lord, five of his best. They bowed before Ganondorf, their dark robes sweeping the floor.

"What are your orders, my liege?" one of them asked.

Ganondorf stood up from his throne. "Track down Princess Zelda using any means necessary. Kill anyone who resists, but bring her back alive."

"It shall be done," the five Gerudo intoned simultaneously.

…

…

So, how'd you like that chapter? It's a bit lengthier than the other ones. Anyways, chapter four will be up soon. Four is really where Link and Zelda's quest will begin; they will attempt to free their first Sage and also encounter aannoying, glowing ball of light during their adventure in the Forest Temple…


End file.
